Determinants of Colostrum Avoidance among Postpartum Mothers in North West Ethiopia

Colostrum feeding has a significant health benefit for neonates and infants, particularly in low-income countries, such as Ethiopia which has greater magnitudes of child starvation and mortality. However, colostrum is not given to newborns in the area under study for a various socio-cultural reasons and misconceptions. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the determinant of colostrum avoidance among postpartum mothers in Ethiopia.

This hospital-based cross-sectional study was performed in Debre Tabor General Hospital, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia, from January 2 to June 28, 2019. A total of 437 postpartum mothers who had a child ≤ 6 weeks of age were included in this study. A systematic random sampling method was applied, and an interviewer administered the structured questionnaires to collect the data. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software (version 23) using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression.

The prevalence rate of colostrum avoidance was found to be 10.5%. According to the results, the determinants of colostrum avoidance were postpartum mothers with non-formal educational status [AOR=3.1, 95%C1=1.51-6.32], rural residency [AOR =5.2, 95%Cl =2.60-10.40], primiparity [AOR =5.1, 95%Cl =2.30-11.57], and lack of receiving counseling about breastfeeding during antenatal care [AOR =2.6, 95%Cl =1.32-5.47].

The prevalence rate of colostrum avoidance was low in Debre Tabor General Hospital, compared to the results of other studies. Nevertheless, it is recommended to give routine and detailed counseling about breastfeeding during antennal care to decrease colostrum avoidance.